How to watch the 2024 Indy 500: UK live stream, TV schedule and start time
One of the world's greatest racing spectacles returns: full details on how to watch the 2024 Indy 500, plus live stream, TV schedule, and highlights
The Indy 500 is one of motor sport’s truly great spectacles, filled with remarkable racing moments and sporting tradition, and the 108th running today looks unlikely to disappoint – and you can watch the build-up at the link above.
Acting as the fifth round of the 2024 IndyCar season, racing at the Brickyard is set to be closer than ever. Scott McLaughlin set an Indy 500 record last by clocking the fastest ever four-lap pole run at an average pace of 234.220mph, joined on the front row with fellow Penske team-mates Will Power and Josef Newgarden.
With practice and qualifying out the way, there’s still plenty more for fans to watch, with UK viewers able to tune in to every minute of on-track running via Sky Sports F1 channel. You needn’t worry about missing any F1 action either, as Indy 500 coverage is set to be shared across the Sky Sports Action and F1 channels during race itself in order to avoid clashes with the Emilia Romagna GP on Sunday May 19 and the Monaco GP on Sunday May 26.
As always, deciding who might top the podium at the Brickyard can be tricky, with chaos usually running riot throughout the field and causing regular shake-ups of the running order. Should Josef Newgarden replicate his success from 2023, the American could become only the sixth driver to win the Indy 500 in back-to-back years, following in the wheel-tracks of Wilbur Shaw (1939, 1940), Mauri Rose (1947, 1948), Bill Vukovich (1953,1954), Al Unser Sr (1970, 1971) and Helio Castroneves (2001, 2002) — who recently told Motor Sport the secrets to winning the worlds greatest race.
2024 Indy 500 live stream and TV schedule
All times in BST.
| Indy 500 qualifying — Day 1 (May 18) | Indy 500 qualifying — Day 2 (May 19) | Indy 500 (May 26) | |
| Session start time | 5.30pm | 8pm | 5.45pm |
| Live coverage Sky Sports, Sky Go, NowTV |
5pm — Sky Sports Action 6:15 — Sky Sports F1 |
7pm | 5.30pm |
How to watch Indy 500: UK live stream and TV details
The 108th Indy 500 is part of a glamorous motor sport weekend which also contains the Monaco Grand Prix but the build up starts a fortnight before even the first green flag waves. For viewers in the UK, Sky Sports will broadcast each session across various channels:
Friday’s Practice 5 will begin at 5pm on Sky Mix before switching over to Sky Sports F1 at 6.15pm.
Sky Action will broadcast running of Practice 6 at 1.30pm as well as introduction to qualifying at 5pm. On-track running will then be broadcast by Sky Sports F1 from 6.15pm onwards. Sunday’s Last Chance Practice and final qualifying sessions will all take place on Sky Sports F1 from 7pm.
Fast forwarding to the Indy 500 race weekend itself, Saturday’s parade will begin at 5pm on Sky Mix before Sky Sports F1 picks up coverage at 5.30pm. An uninterrupted broadcast on Sunday’s 500-mile race will then begin at 5.30pm on Sky Sports F1.
Live TV: In the UK, the race will be broadcast on Sky Sports F1, with coverage starting at 5.30pm BST.
Live Stream: Sky Sports customers can live stream the action from the Sky Go app. Similarly, Now TV also carries the Sky Sports Arena and Sky Sports F1 channels, with weekend passes available specifically for this year’s Indy 500.
Highlights: Highlights of the race will be made available on the IndyCar YouTube channel, which is usually released on the same evening as the race.
Indy 500 circuit details and weather forecast
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway ranks among motor sport’s most iconic circuits, having hosted one of the world’s greatest racing spectacles since 1911. Each of the four corners at the 2.5-mile Brickyard has a different radius, each providing a varying challenge for drivers.
The record for the circuit’s fastest racing lap is currently held by Eddie Cheever, who clocked an average of 236.103mph during his 38.119sec tour at the 1996 Indy 500. The same year, Arie Luyendyk also set the record for the fastest qualifying lap, reaching an average speed of 237.498mph.
With competitors all using similar Dallara DW12 cars and practice usually ample, running can often be incredibly close when the field enters competitive sessions. In 2023, Alex Palou captured the second-closest pole position in Indy 500 history — his rapid 234.217mph four-lap qualifying run just 0.006mph clear of Rinus Veekay. During the following week’s race, the top five cars were covered by less than a second in the run up to the line, with Newgarden narrowly beating out Marcus Ericsson by less than a tenth of a second.
The weather in Indianapolis during qualifying is set to be clear all weekend, reaching a high of 31 degrees celsius on Sunday May 19, with 9mph winds expected. Conditions are forecast to be less optimal for the Indy 500 on Sunday May 26, with partly clouded skies, 11mph winds and 24% chance of showers.
Indy 500 circuit map
2024 Indy 500 full session times
All times in BST.
| Date | Session | Time |
| Thursday 16 May | Practice 4 | 5pm |
| Friday 17 May | Practice 5 | 6.15pm |
| Saturday 18 May | Practice 6 | 1.30pm |
| Saturday 18 May | Full field qualifying | 5.30pm |
| Sunday 19 May | Top 12, Last Chance and Fast Six qualifying | 8pm |
| Monday 20 May | Practice 8 | 6pm |
| Friday 24 May | Final Practice on Carb Day | 6.30pm |
| Sunday 26 May | Indy 500 | 8.30pm |